Julian and I? Our breakup was brutal. I betrayed him when he loved me most. Years later, when I was forced to beg him for help, he pointed to the skyscraper’s rooftop. “Chloe,” he sneered, “jump from there, and I’ll consider it.” Later, I really did die. The moment I saw Julian again after five years, my mind went completely blank. Julian was at St. Jude’s Medical Center with his girlfriend, Eleanor, for their pre-wedding health check-up. I, meanwhile, was stuck in the hospital lobby’s registration line, arguing with a middle-aged man. I told him off for cutting in line. He, in turn, yelled at me for being young and disrespectful. But he couldn’t have been more than fifty, and looked perfectly healthy. People around us started whispering, as if *I* were the problem. My mood was already shot today, so I refused to back down. As I argued with him, I felt like I was making a complete scene. I was just about to loudly call for a manager when, I looked up and suddenly saw Julian not far away. Five years had passed, and he looked much more mature. Gone was the bright, arrogant boy; now he was in a sharp suit, his eyes sophisticated and cold. The girl beside him had long, wavy hair, fair skin, and a sweet, docile look. She was holding his arm, shyly asking the hospital receptionist, “Excuse me, which department should we go to for a pre-wedding check-up?” The receptionist nurse happened to be walking towards me, stopped, and answered her, “For the bride, it’s Gynecology. For the groom, Urology.” Eleanor blushed, nodded, and thanked her. The nurse then approached me and persuaded the middle-aged man to go to the back of the line. Mr. Henderson grumbled unhappily, muttering a few things. I didn’t catch what he said, my hands and feet were freezing, and my mind was utterly empty. I didn’t even realize I was staring at Julian. Julian noticed me too. His gaze met mine, cold and indifferent. It was as if he barely remembered me. Eleanor sensed something was off, tilted her head, and asked him, “What’s wrong? Is that someone you know?”
Julian pulled his gaze away, his eyes softening as he looked down. “Just a classmate from back in the day, not really close.” Eleanor nodded, then glanced at me again. That’s when I snapped back to reality, awkwardly averting my eyes. Julian tightened his grip on Eleanor’s hand. “It’s lunchtime. Let’s grab a bite, then come back this afternoon for the queue.” My face burned, as if I’d been thrown into a fire. Luckily, the crowd was thick and noisy, allowing me to almost disappear into it. My body was stiff until Liam, in his white coat, walked over. He raised a hand and patted my shoulder. “Grab your dad and come with me. You won’t get a morning slot at this point.” Then, mindful of others around, he pulled me aside and lowered his voice. “I’ll figure something out.” I jolted, quickly thanking him repeatedly. My dad was still sitting on a bench behind me, his face drawn and pale. When I walked over to call him, he looked like a child caught doing something wrong, fidgeting nervously. I tried to sound casual, joking, “We couldn’t get a morning appointment, so Dr. Spencer is pulling some strings for us.” My dad stood up awkwardly, licking his dry lips. “Chloe, maybe we can skip a few dialysis sessions. “Doing too many makes me feel uncomfortable.”
I knew he was worried about the money. With kidney failure in his current state, he needed dialysis two or three times a week. Each session, including medication, cost over a thousand bucks. He was sick now, couldn’t earn money, and knew I was struggling. But this illness was brutal, and more dialysis sessions, however painful, could ease his suffering a little. I hugged his arm tightly, saying seriously, “You just follow the doctor’s orders, okay? “I’m about to close a major deal. Once that contract’s signed, I’ll be promoted to lead manager. “A thousand bucks? That’s barely enough for a decent dinner for me these days!” Truth be told, even as a lead manager, I’d barely make ten thousand a month. But at least, I wouldn’t have to borrow money for my dad’s medical bills anymore. Liam walked up to us, smiling as he helped my dad with his other arm. His voice was gentle: “Mr. David, just focus on your treatment. “Chloe is a powerhouse at her company; you don’t need to worry about money.” My dad loved me dearly, but a flicker of pride still shone in his eyes when he heard that. “My girl has always been capable.” After completing the procedures, my dad lay in the ward, undergoing dialysis. It was almost 1 PM, and I went downstairs to the cafeteria to buy him food. Stepping out of the elevator on the first floor, I found my path blocked by Julian.
Eleanor, Julian’s girlfriend, was nowhere in sight. He looked at me with cold eyes, his voice thin and laced with sarcasm. “Congratulations, Chloe. So, you two finally made it official, huh?” My palms were sweating, and I desperately tried to walk past him. It had been five years since our breakup. And even now, I couldn’t muster the courage to have a proper conversation with him. Every time I thought about what happened, it was like an unhealed wound being ripped open again. From head to toe, I felt a sharp ache and a chilling cold. Julian reached out and grabbed my arm, refusing to let me go. “What’s wrong, Chloe? Did you do too many shady things back then? Now you can’t even look me in the eye?” My face went ashen as I tried to push his hand away, my voice trembling uncontrollably. “Mr. Sterling, we’re over. Please, have some respect.” Julian chuckled as if he’d heard a hilarious joke. “Respect? Chloe, how do *you* even have the nerve to talk about respect with me?” I shoved his hand away, almost stumbling as I fled in a panicked rush. I ran a long way before daring to stop. Looking back, he hadn’t chased me. Julian was right. To this day, the one person least qualified to talk about “respect” with him was me.
Five years ago, when Julian loved me most, I betrayed him. I still remember, during that month when I suddenly disappeared, Julian searched for me like a madman, turning the world upside down. Until he saw a video shared in the university group chat. In the video, I was in bed with a man. I was actively hugging the man’s neck, my face relaxed, my eyes filled only with him. The man’s face was blurry, just a vague profile. But my face in the video was crystal clear. The video only appeared in the chat for less than ten seconds before an admin deleted it. But many had saved it, and everyone who needed to know, knew. Rumors spread through the university that I was involved in illegal activities. Julian didn’t believe it, until a month later, I appeared before him. Liam was with me. That day, I stood before Julian, in a long silence. Julian’s eyes were red, his face trembling. “Chloe, explain this to me.” He pressed me, then watched me pull out a marriage certificate. “I’m sorry, Liam and I have been together for years. “I used you. Besides ‘I’m sorry,’ I should also say ‘thank you.’” Julian looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. He stood frozen, staring at me intently. I thanked him for helping me get into my dream university. I thanked him for giving up his overseas study spot for Liam, whom I loved most. I don’t remember what else I said. I only remember that until the very end, he never opened that marriage certificate to look at it. He raised a hand at me, his eyes filled with an anger I’d never seen before. That gesture lasted a long time. But finally, his palm slowly fell on top of my head. His voice was filled with the deepest hatred, yet tears streamed down his face in front of me. “Chloe, you’re cruel.” “Don’t ever let me see you again in this lifetime.”
After taking my dad home from dialysis, I spent the evening there. I’d taken two days off to look after him. The next morning, I received a call from a colleague. Her voice had a hint of gloating concern. “Chloe, you don’t know yet, do you? Tiffany stole your deal!” I only had one deal I was currently working on. As soon as it was signed, my promotion to lead manager was guaranteed. Everything for that deal was already settled; it was just a matter of scheduling a signing with the other company. I rushed to the office. Immediately, I saw Tiffany, arm-in-arm with Julian, walking out with a smug smile. Tiffany saw me and immediately smiled apologetically. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Chloe. Julian took me out to dinner last night. “Mr. Carlson was there too, and when the deal came up, he insisted on signing with me.” Julian let out a dismissive, cold laugh. “What’s there to be sorry about? In business, it’s every man for himself.” My temper flared instantly, and I blurted out without thinking. “Every man for himself? Or ‘every woman for herself’ using her bedroom skills?!” Before Tiffany could react in anger, Julian spoke first. “Chloe, if you had *those* skills, you could have had it too.” My fists clenched tight, and I glared at him. “I don’t need them!” Julian’s face was full of mockery. “Oh? Then what exactly are you doing right now?” Tiffany, still clinging to his arm, walked away. I turned, raised my phone, and snapped a few pictures of them. “Julian, I bet your fiancée doesn’t know about this, does she?” Julian stopped in his tracks, turning to look at me. I couldn’t afford to miss this promotion opportunity again. My family had a mountain of debt, and my dad still needed money for his treatments. Thinking Julian, being the kind of person he was, would care most about his reputation, I clutched my phone, deciding to go all out. “If you don’t make my life easy, I’ll send these pictures out!” Julian’s eyes held a faint smile. “Oh, really?”
The moment he finished speaking, my phone was unexpectedly snatched away. Julian’s lawyer, Mr. Thorne, stood behind me, having recorded the entire exchange. Mr. Thorne then took pictures of the photos on my phone, speaking calmly. “Ms. Clark, unauthorized photography is illegal and can lead to detention. “As for blackmail, it carries a sentence of up to three years. “In severe cases, it can be three to ten years.” He waved his own phone. “Witnesses, physical evidence – the proof is solid.” “Ms. Clark, should I call the police, or would you prefer to come to the station with me?” I was stunned, completely unable to react. Julian looked at me with amusement. “What’s wrong, don’t you recognize me?” His demeanor wasn’t a joke; he was serious about pressing charges. If I really went to the police station, even if I wasn’t sentenced for three to five years, I’d at least be detained for a few days. But my dad’s condition was unstable now; I couldn’t be away even for a day. My bravado instantly withered. “I… I was just talking.” The smile vanished from Julian’s face, his gaze burning into me. “Chloe, adults always have to pay the price for every word they’ve spoken.” I knew he was talking about the things I’d said years ago. I’d said I wanted to be with him, I’d said I loved him. Then later, I’d said thank you, and I’m sorry. Julian left with Tiffany in his car, and his lawyer stopped me. Mr. Thorne called the police, and before long, I was taken to the station. Julian accused me of two crimes. One was illegal photography, the other was blackmail. The blackmail charge would await verification and judgment. As for illegal photography, the police department gave me five days of detention. That evening, confined in the detention room, I finally lost my composure. My dad was alone at home, unable to reach me. If he had a medical emergency, no one would be there to help him. I could only plead with the police, my voice thick with tears, “Please, could you help me contact Julian? “I can explain. My dad is home alone, and he’s not well. I’m scared something might happen.”
The officer listened to me for a long time. Finally, he went out and called Julian. It was a full two hours before Julian leisurely arrived. He brought with him a strong scent of perfume. There was a small red mark on his shirt collar, whether lipstick or something else, I couldn’t tell. I quickly glanced and then awkwardly looked away. I clenched my hands and managed to speak, “What I did was wrong. I apologize.” Julian sat across from me, his gaze falling on my wrist. There was a bracelet there, covering a scar. That scar was from when I was severely depressed, left during a moment of disorientation. I subconsciously lowered my hand, then said anxiously, “Just let me go home. Whatever you want, just name it.” Julian looked at me indifferently. “Go home where?” I didn’t quite understand what he meant, but I still explained, “My dad and I are living in a rented apartment right now. “He’s alone at home, and his health hasn’t been good these past few years.” Julian’s voice was mocking. “So, you and Liam haven’t even bought a wedding home yet?” I remained silent. Julian’s gaze fixated on me. “Chloe, if you like staying here, then keep talking nonsense.” It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about explaining everything to him. But when I considered that he was about to get married, with a fiancée, what was the point of bringing up those old things again? Still, I was tired. I didn’t want to repeat the same lies to him either. After a long silence, Julian finally stood up and spoke again. “Come on. My stomach isn’t feeling well. Cook me a meal, and we’ll call it even.” I couldn’t refuse and immediately stood up to follow him. Julian explained to the police that it was a misunderstanding and said he wouldn’t press charges, then took me away. My phone was with the police, and Julian ended up with it. He still hadn’t given it back to me by the time we reached his place. I figured he didn’t know the password anyway and couldn’t see anything, so I just let him keep it. Julian sat on the living room sofa, casually tossing my phone onto the coffee table. He leaned back on the sofa like a king, ordering me, “Go make dinner.”
For a moment, I felt like we were back in our old days together. When we rented a place in college, he’d sometimes act like this too. But I’d always end up dragging him by the ear into the kitchen to cook himself. He once indulged me without limits. He’d stay up all night organizing notes to help me get into the same university. In college, he gave up his study abroad slot because he saw me secretly crying. That slot later went to Liam, my best friend. I pulled myself out of memory lane, seeing Julian still sprawled on the sofa, unmoving. He really did have a stomachache. I’d noticed on the way back that his脸色 didn’t look good. His stomach issues were hereditary, something he’d had since childhood. He was also very particular about what he ate, needing bland, nourishing food. I went out and bought some groceries. He didn’t stop me, probably because he had my phone and wasn’t afraid I’d run. I bought millet, jujube seeds, and some herbs. A soft, comforting millet porridge, paired with jujube seed soup – good for appetite and digestion. All these years, I still remembered them clearly. Porridge takes time to cook, and jujube seed soup is also complicated. I spent nearly three hours in the kitchen. It was deep into the night when both the porridge and soup were finally ready. Midway, Julian came into the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe, teasing me. “Chloe, are you deliberately trying to spend the night here?” I remembered some past things and couldn’t help but blush. I stammered a bit, “Are you hungry? Maybe I can make something else first, just to tie you over?” Julian just dropped a curt “Not hungry” and went back to the living room. He seemed to be in a better mood. But when I brought out the porridge and soup, his face was stony again. He was still sitting on the sofa. A pet dog he owned sat beside his feet. I cleared the dining table and set everything out. Julian walked over, the dog following him. He reached the table, picked up the large pot of soup, and directly poured it into the pot of porridge. I was startled. “They’re supposed to be drunk separately, you can’t mix them!” As I said it, I suddenly remembered: this wasn’t the first time he’d eaten these. I used to make them for him often; he couldn’t possibly not know. Julian mixed the two items together. Then he casually picked up a pair of forks, expressionlessly stirring the mess. I watched three hours of my effort turn into a disaster in his hands. He picked up the porridge pot, dumped it on the floor, and beckoned to the dog. “Here, eat.”
The dog wagged its tail and trotted over, sticking its head into the pot. After a moment, the dog pulled its head out and walked away. Jujube seed soup has a medicinal taste; dogs wouldn’t eat it. Julian looked at me, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “See? Even the dog knows it’s disgusting.” My face instantly went ashen. How could I have thought that, after all this time, Julian would genuinely ask me to cook for him? Julian took a step closer to me. “Chloe, you’re having a tough time, aren’t you? You really want my help?” I thought of the lead manager position, almost within my grasp, now snatched away. I thought of my dad in the hospital, guilty and self-reproaching, saying, “Maybe we can skip a few dialysis sessions.” My hands were clenched tight, unable to utter a single word. Julian reached out and moved a decorative item on the dining table closer to him. It was a model of his company’s skyscraper, forty-five stories tall. His long fingers tapped the very top of the model. Then, simulating the arc of something falling from a great height, his finger gently descended to the table. His voice was cold and cruel. “It’s not impossible for me to help you. “My company building has a rooftop above the forty-fifth floor. “Chloe, jump from there, and I’ll consider it.” My eyes were bloodshot, seeing nothing but red. I turned around, my body numb, and walked out.
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